From Another World
by Pokey1984
Summary: [On Hiatus] SG-1 finds a girl who seems to know all about them but won't say how. Rated G for now might become PG. P.S. This is my first story so please review.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter1

"Well, this was productive." Jack was talking about their current mission. SG1 was exploring a seemingly empty planet.

"Maybe you enjoy dodging energy bolts, but I, for one, am glad to visit a nice quiet planet," Daniel replied. Except for the Stargate there was nothing to suggest anyone had ever set foot upon this planet before.

"I would just like to find some sign of why the Ancients were interested enough in this planet to put a Stargate here. There is nothing here. No ruins, no settlements, nothing but trees." Jack broke a branch off of one of the offending bushes and began pulling the leaves off one at a time.

" I have to agree with Daniel, Sir," Sam said looking at a small furry creature climbing a tree near her. "This is almost like a vacation." The team had halted near the edge of a small clearing in the trees and they were all lounging in the shade.

"Hey maybe that's the answer. The Ancients used this planet as a campgrounds for vacations and the like."

"Do you truly believe the Ancients enjoyed camping, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked, apparently intrigued.

"I suppose that's as good of an answer as any. There are a lot of places and artifacts that no one today knows the purpose of. Many were so common to the people who made them that they never bothered to write down the reason why. Some like the pyramids in Egypt were purposely forgotten. Others no one can figure..."

"Can we save the lecture for later please?" The colonel broke in cutting Daniel off. Jack was obviously distracted and not very happy. This planet was way too quiet for his peace of mind. "This looks like a good place to set up base camp." He continued in a lighter tone, truly sorry to have snapped at Daniel that way. The quiet was lulling him into a false sense of security and he needed to stay alert. He had to be ready just in case something did happen, however unlikely that may be. "I'll take the first watch tonight." He had a strange feeling about this trip.

***

That night was uneventful and the next morning dawned with everyone in a good mood. The team would be on planet for three more days and nights. Aside from daily reports to base and barring anything untoward, that seemed to mean three more days in paradise with little to do but enjoy themselves. That day was to be spent exploring as far from their base camp as possible. Daniel and Jack went to explore first while Sam sent the daily report and Teal'c held down camp. Jack tensed up shortly after starting out, reminding himself that he was supposed to be on guard for disaster.

"What's the matter Jack?" Daniel asked notice the change in his friend's demeanor. "Too much relaxation for you?"

"As a matter of fact..." 

"Don't tell me you really _would_ prefer a firefight?"

"I don't know, I feel like something big is going to happen any minute," Jack sighed in frustration.

"Speaking of something big..." Daniel trailed off and Jack pushed through the underbrush to see what he was seeing. Just in time, he stopped himself from stepping off a cliff. Relief washed through him as he realized the cliff was only a few feet high. The appearance of great height was created by the spread of crystalline water spreading out before them. The water was obviously very deep and very clear. The lake, if it was that, was about seventy-five yards across, a near perfect circle and had near vertical banks. The only way down to the waters edge was a crumbling ramp midway around the circle from where they were standing.

"I think we found our ruins." Daniel said. "That, I believe, is a mine."

"Sounds more like a quarry than a mine to me," Sam said when they told the others what they had found. "But this would definitely explain the Ancients installing a Stargate here. They would need it to transport whatever they were mining to where ever they were using it."

"I wonder exactly what they were mining?' Daniel wore a puzzled look. "And I wonder why they put the Stargate so far away from the mining site? Also, where did the miners live? There are no other signs of civilization anywhere around the quarry."

"All valid questions Daniel Jackson. Is it not possible that there is more evidence under the water?" Teal'c asked.

"Very likely but we won't be able to find it. Odds are that quarry is very deep and we don't have any diving equipment. Maybe we should get some from the SGC and try it?" Sam was obviously enthusiastic about the prospect of diving down to find out if anything remained.

"Whoa, hold on there. We should probably find out if there is anything on the surface before we go swimming," Jack said stalling that notion.

"Sorry, Sir." Sam replied looking a little sheepish. "I guess I am kind of getting into relaxation thing."

"You dive for relaxation?" Daniel asked incredulously.

"Sure. I love the quiet underwater, and the way the sunlight filters through crystal clear water is so tranquil..." Sam trailed off and shrugged.

The entire group went to the quarry that afternoon to see if any other traces could be found. Much to her disappointment, Sam found what they were looking for. More precisely, she found stairs.

The staircase was only six steps tall and led to nowhere but they could find outlines of buildings nearby and what might have been a common gathering area a hundred yards away. It was Teal'c who found the only writing around.

"Look at this, Daniel Jackson." He called pulling back a covering of vines on the staircase. "I do believe it is a dialect of the Ancients."

"Yes it is," Daniel said. "But I don't think it will be very helpful."

"Someone mark it on the calendar, Daniel found writing that he didn't become instantly enthralled over." Jack mocked him but continued with "What does it say?"

"It says 'Watch Your Step'." A voice stated from behind them. All four of them whipped around instantly alert and ready for an attack.

Standing behind them was a young woman. She was wearing knee high leather boots, brown shorts, and a tan shirt. Her light brown hair was shoulder length and her sleeves were rolled up. She carried a largish black backpack with green trim that was very full. Jack eyed her with suspicion when she said, "Hi There, Are you from Earth?"

"Who's asking?" Jack replied very unhelpfully.

"Shay Morgan, American, Earthling, and you are Colonel Jack O'Neil US Air force. That's Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c. All four of you make up SG1 out of Cheyenne Mountain in Wyoming." She replied tilting her head and smiling at him. 

"Where did you say you were from?"

"I'm from Houston, Missouri, The United States of America, on the planet Earth." Shay ran through the list smoothly as if she repeated it on a regular basis. "I was wondering if you could take me back there through the Stargate."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

To say that SG1 looked at Shay as if she were an alien would be a cliche, but it would be an accurate one. Even Daniel, who seemed to accept everything, blinked several times at both her statement and her request.

"I'm sorry, I was blunt. My mother always used to warn me about that. I think I have some explaining to do. You know, you can put that M-16 down now, I am unarmed and alone." Shay said the last directly at Jack who still hadn't lowered his weapon. He did so now but still kept it ready. "Please sit down and I'll tell you everything I know..."

Everyone sat down on convenient chunks of rock and Shay began to tell her story.

"How should I start? It is a very long story. My journey began about three years ago back in Missouri. I was visiting with my mom who lived several miles out of town. I had decided to spend my day at the river. Aptly named 'Big Creek" the river was no more than twenty feet across at it's widest and no deeper than my chest at its deepest. I went there a lot when I was younger but hadn't been since I left for school and was more than ready to go back. I packed dry clothes, a towel, a couple of books and my MP3 player and headed out. I had planed to swim for a while then sit on the bank and read my afternoon away." Here Shay paused and frowned.

"Apparently someone else had other plans. I had redressed after my swim when a bright white light covered me. I felt myself moving and there were bright colors and then I hit my head. When I opened my eyes I felt warmth on my head and I saw a man standing over me. I was lying on a bed in a small hut in a jungle somewhere. The mans hand was on my head and he held a gold colored device. When he moved his hand my head didn't hurt any more. I asked who he was and he said 'Your new employer'. He told me he wanted me to explore planets and things and report back to him what I found there. He said he would provide me with everything I would need on my journeys.

"Of course I immediately asked what would happen if I refused to help him. He said I was welcome to stay in this hut as long as I wished. I asked him what was in it for me if I helped him. He said that eventually my travels would take me home and that I could stay when I arrived. Obviously I decided to help him and have been traveling ever since

"Exactly how is it you know who we are and what we do anyway." Sam asked. "On Earth our project is top secret."

Shay stopped and thought for a moment.

"Don't you know" asked Jack skeptically.

"Oh I know the answer I was just trying to decide whether I should tell you the truth or lie to you."

"What did you decide?" Daniel asked.

"I decided to lie to you. Do you want to hear it or do you want to try and figure the truth out for yourselves? I've thought up a real doosy of an answer!" Shay smiled at them again and waited for their response.

"I think we'll figure it out." Jack responded

"Oh I know you will, at least most of it. All of you are very quick and I've already slipped enough to give you a really good chance. So what do you say? Will you take me home with you?" Shay asked grinning at them impishly.

The team just stood and stared at this strange girl. None of them were sure whether they should believe her story or not. At signal from Jack the team stepped away to discuss this new development.

Jack looked at his team questioningly. "What do you think?"

Daniel looked thoughtfully at the girl sitting across from him. "I think we should take her back to camp with us and report in the morning."

"But what if she's a Gua'ould?" Jack asked.

"I think that is highly unlikely Colonel O'Neil."

"Why is that Teal'c?"

"I do not think any Gua'ould would behave in such a manner as this girl. Also she is very young."

"Teal has a point, Jack," Daniel said. "She acts very young and, if I'm any judge, very… well… American."

"But what if she's a Gua'ould?" Jack asked.

"Sir, we could check her for weapons and then keep watch at night. This girl could be very useful if what she is saying is true," ever the scientist, Sam wanted to learn more about this 'boss' the girl claimed to be working for.

Just then Shay cried out and started running toward them. "Stop! Don't move! Stay absolutely still!" she cried waving her arms at Jack.

The others looked around perplexed while Jack wisely stood very still. Sam was the first to notice the large spider over Jacks head. He had, without noticing, stood right under a very large web. The occupant of that web had been slowly lowering itself down and it now hovered only millimeters over the colonel's head. When Shay had yelled, the spider had released it's web and dropped onto Jack's head

Shay stepped in front of Jack and pulled a thin long and flat piece of plastic out of her boot. She raised it to Jack's head and slowly slid it under the spider. "Now try not to move, I am going to try to flip it off where I can step on it." Shay made a quick motion with her wrist and the spider flew off straight up where it became entangled in it's own web.

"It's a very fascinating species." Shay told the team who were finally breathing again. "It lays its eggs under the skin of a larger animal. The egg sack produces chemicals very similar to steroids. They increase the animal's strength and healing powers so that the creature stays very healthy. Just before the eggs hatch, the cocoon starts to break down producing what amounts to cyanide, killing the host almost instantly. The spiders then eat the host to grow strong themselves. The scariest part is that you frequently don't know the eggs have been laid until they have burrowed so deep it is nearly impossible to extract them. You usually think you escaped because the eggs are microscopic and you don't feel sick"

"Exactly how long have you been on this planet?" Daniel asked

"Around a month, maybe twenty days. I learned about that spider from the group of natives five days walk south of here. They had a herd beast that had been bitten. You'll want to have your head looked at very closely when you get back to the base" Shay directed that last part to Jack who groaned.

"Well at least we know she has good intentions." Daniel said

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to spend extra time with the Doc when we get back."

"Maybe we should find someplace that's not under so many trees. Did you camp in a clearing."

"Yes. Our camp is just a half a day's walk south of here." Sam told her pointing in the general direction. 

The team headed back to camp feeling much more at ease with their new friend. Shay and Daniel spent the trip discussing the various places she had been to.

"I've never met anyone else who could read Ancient fluently before." Daniel was telling the visitor. "Where did you learn? Not at school!"

"Heavens no! I learned a place called Raleish. There was a group of archaeologists there studying the ruins. It took me a long time to learn everything they were doing there and picked up a couple of languages in the process."

"What were they looking for?"

"Answers, mostly. That planet was about the same as twentieth century earth. They were unburying their Stargate and a few nearby buildings. Unfortunately as soon as I knew for sure what they had found I had to leave.

"Why did you have to leave?" Daniel asked

"I don't know the why. I just know as soon as I have found the purpose of what ever I am exploring, the Boss sends me somewhere else. I don't usually get more warning time than it takes to gather up my stuff and then I'm somewhere else. I don't even always know what I was looking for until I have reported it."

The group reached camp just then and Shay stopped talking to admire the tents. "Nice. I usually just sleep under the stars. A tent would be very heavy. It really sucks when I stay somewhere it rains. It rained the night before last and it took the entire next day to dry my stuff."

"Do you have anything to eat?" Sam asked pulling an MRE out of her pack.

"Yeah, my Boss provisions me between jumps."

"I thought you went straight from planet to planet?" Jack asked her opening an MRE of his own.

Shay opened her backpack and pulled out a small blue packet. "Yeah, I do but whenever I get where I am going there is always a package nearby containing food and whatever else I ask for." Shay opened the packet and started eating the contents, which appeared to be small brown cubes. "Here, try some" She pulled out another packet and tossed it to Daniel who hadn't gotten out an MRE yet.

"Whatever you ask for? How do you ask for things." Sam asked her.

"In my reports. If I write that I need batteries or boots or food, those items or any others I ask for fall in my path within the hour. I mean that literally too. The asked for items usually fall out of thin air right in front of me."

"Hey, that's not bad!" Daniel said tasting the contents of the packet. "At least, it's a lot better than MREs"

"Eat it three times a day everyday for three years and see how it tastes," Shay challenged him. "I try to eat local food as often as possible but I can't always trust the local cuisine to be gentle on the human stomach."

"How does your boss get your reports?"

"Off this." Shay answered pulling out what appeared to be a laptop computer. "He can make much better computers than this but this is the type I am most comfortable with so this is what asked him for to get started. I haven't opened the cover but it barely weighs anything and it never needs the battery replaced so I'm guessing it only looks like a standard computer on the outside. I'm guessing that he checks for new reports hourly or something like that and sends me stuff I need. When I've reported whatever it is he wants to know I see that bright light again and I'm somewhere else." Shay took out another piece of her dinner and began munching on it.

"I'd like to read those reports, if that's okay." Daniel asked. "It would be very fascinating to learn where you've been"

"I'll tell you what, When we get to Stargate Command, I'll give you copies of my files. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like blackmail." Daniel replied.

"Yeah, but I think you'll take me so it's a fair deal."

"What makes you so sure we're going to take you back with us?" Sam asked.

"Because I am harmless and you are curious. Besides, I saved your colonels life."

"She does have a point there, Jack." Daniel said grinning at Jacks sour expression.

The next morning Shay waited quietly near the DHD while Jack talked General Hammond into letting them bring back their new friend. The task was made easier by the Generals own curiosity. It was decided that Shay could not hurt anything and was allowed to accompany the team through the Stargate. Shay grinned as she stepped up to the wormhole. "I've wanted to do this for a long time," she said, perplexing the team, and then she stepped through followed by SG1.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Upon reaching Stargate Command Shay was immediately subjected to a long bout of tests to make sure she wasn't a Gua'ould and didn't carry any diseases. When she was done, the doctor reported the results to General Hammond and SG1.

"Well, as far as I can tell, she isn't a Gua'ould and she isn't carrying any viruses." 

"What else can you tell us about this girl Doc?" Jack asked

"Aside from that, not much. She seems to be a perfectly healthy sixteen year old for all she has scars to rival yours Colonel."

"Scars?"

"Yes, it seems our friend has really been through the wringer. Old bullet wounds and what look like staff weapon blasts as well as broken bones, healed of course, and any number of other wounds. She has a very recent cut on her leg that really should have been stitched and other scrapes and bruises at various stages of healing."

"I believe Shay Morgan is much less fragile that she appears." Teal'c commented

SG1 looked at each other with new respect for the girl. Each of them had their own share of the types of wounds the Doctor had described and knew full well what she must have gone through to get them. "Wait a minute," Sam said, suddenly startled by the math she was doing in her head. "You said she was sixteen years old?"

"Yes, She says that's how old she is and I can't find anything to suggest otherwise."

"What are you getting at Major?" The General asked.

Daniel caught on to Sam's train of thought. "She said she had been travelling for three years and the disks she gave me contained three years worth of dated reports," Daniel had a sympathetic look on his face. "She must be a child genius. That would explain how she picked up those languages so quickly and why she was chosen to go exploring for her 'boss'. Some one as young as her would adapt quickly and being exceptionally bright would be an added bonus for someone wanting to exploit her"

"I knew you would figure me out sooner or later." Shay cut in having apparently been eavesdropping. "I have always been really quick. It really bothers some people, or at least it used to." Shay stood in the doorway. In the jungle she had looked to be around twenty-five and very strong. Now, standing there in her hospital gown, with the gouge in her leg and the bruising on her ankle clearly visible, Shay barely looked old enough to drive. "I just need to go to the bathroom, can someone show me where it is?"

"I'll show you," Sam said. Everyone noticed her slight limp as the two walked away. When Sam asked where the injury had come from Shay explained.

"You know those boots I was wearing? I just got those the day before I met you. I was wearing sandals until I fell through a hole at that last planet. That's where the cut and the sprain came from. The boots were supporting me earlier and that's why I didn't limp. Do you think I can get a shower when we get back?"

"I think so. That is, If the Doctor's done with you."

It turned out that Shay did get her shower as well as a room to use until she left. While she was freshening up, SG1 was debriefed by General Hammond. There wasn't much for them to tell as their exploration had been cut short by Jack's mishap with the spider.

"Someone should probably go back and make contact with those natives and it would be nice to learn what was being mined there. I'll send SG teams 9 and 11. In the meantime I want you four to learn all you can from our new friend. I need to know whether this 'boss' of hers is a threat or not."

Shay joined them a few minutes later and repeated her story for the General's benefit as well as for the record. Then she made another copy of her reports for the General to include in his own report. When all that was taken care of, the meeting turned to decisions about what was in store next for Shay.

"Well, young lady, what exactly did you have in mind when you asked to come here?" General Hammond asked Shay.

"I have been away from home for so long I just don't know where to start."

"Maybe we could start by looking up your family. They must be worried about you…" Sam broke off when she noticed Shay shaking her head

"My family isn't here. This isn't my home. I just wanted to come with you because I knew… when I saw SG1 in the forest… that this place is _like_ my home and I miss it so much…" Shay broke off, looking confused and a little scared. "I don't know how to explain it so you understand. I just wanted to be on Earth again. I don't care which Earth anymore." Tears were forming in her eyes. She wasn't making much sense. "I guess I don't know what…. You all have been so nice… I don't know what I should explain… what I shouldn't…" The tears came trickling down her cheeks as she gave one huge sob and seemed to cave in on herself.

Jack and Daniel seemed to panic slightly at Shay's sudden breakdown. General Hammond and Teal'c seemed confused. The girl had seemed so strong and capable before but now her youth was obvious. Sam surprised everyone by taking the girl into her arms and holding her. "Shush now, it's okay. You're safe now. Shush." Sam was muttering comforting phrases into the girls hair. "It's okay now. You're safe now and everything will be fine. You don't have to make any decisions right now. Just take your time."

The men, all feeling rather uncomfortable and seeming to realize that the girl needed some space, left the conference room and waited in the hall for Sam. Both girls emerged about twenty minutes later. Shay, still red faced and slightly disheveled, looked much younger than her actual age. Sam, on the other hand, looked warm and motherly. Sam hugged the girl to her as they exited the room and then sent her down the hall. "The washroom is on the right down there. Come back here when you're ready." Sam told her.

"What was that all about?" Jack asked Sam when Shay was out of earshot.

"She was overwhelmed." Sam told them. "It's like she has had to keep all her feelings bottled for the last three years so that she could continue to function. Any sadness or fears that she might have felt she has ignored all this time so that she wouldn't lose it in a possibly dangerous situation. I guess she feels safe enough here to be herself so all of that emotion just sort of hit her all at once." Sam's sigh was quiet. "You know, she is only sixteen years old. Emotionally at least, she has never had much chance to grow up. Instead she was thrown into a bad situation and all of a sudden she was in the face of real danger." 

"I wonder if there is anything we can do to help her." Daniel said.

"I don't know but I am sure going to find out." Sam replied, her voice colored with anger on the girl's behalf.

Shay found the team waiting for her in back in the conference room. For the most part, no one mentioned her breakdown. Everyone seemed understanding of her situation. As she sat down Sam asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

Blushing, she replied "Yes, much better. Thank you."

"General Hammond, I have a suggestion." Daniel said.

"Yes, Dr. Jackson?"

"Well, it seems to me, that since Shay is not from around here, someone should accompany her on a tour of the area outside of the base. That was she could get a feel for the planet and not have to make any decisions just yet."

"That is a great idea, Daniel," Sam looked at Shay. "I'd be happy to drive you into town and show you around."

Shay seemed to perk up at the suggestion. "That sounds like fun!"

"Good suggestion. While you two are gone we can start going over those files you gave me and see if we have any questions for you." Daniel wore a faraway look that made everyone else feel he was already engrossed in those records in spirit if not physically yet.

"Well if that's all settled, I think this debriefing is over." General Hammond said. "I suggest you all be here at 0900 hours tomorrow morning and we'll compare notes."

As they left the conference room Sam told Shay "You should go get ready I need to change into civilian clothes. How about I pick you up in the mess hall in about half an hour?"

"Okay, see you then Sam."


	4. Chapter 4

I would like to thank all of you who have not only read but _commented_ on my little story. Reading back over it I see what you mean. **_I_ **was bored!!! I am sorry O'Neil has been so serious but I don't think I am near as witty as he is so I didn't try. I hope this chapter has a little more punch in it. I am glad so many of you are enjoying this. J 

P.S. Please let me know if I mess anything up or if I'm not getting better. I would hate to keep boring you!

Chapter 4

Shay was feeling more guilty than she had ever felt in her life. Not only had she been misleading these people, (If not lying to them outright) but she was playing games with them by dropping clues for them to puzzle out. She was hoping that the team would figure the truth out for themselves and that would soften the blow. She kept telling herself 'I have to lie to them, it could be bad if I tell them the truth.' But deep down she hated herself for it. Shay was torn between the thought that they might not be able to handle the truth and the 'What if they can?'

After leaving Sam and the rest of SG1, Shay headed for the room that had been loaned to her. Everything she owned had been grimy and slightly damp when she arrived so after her shower so she had dressed in the sweat pants and tee shirt Sam had given her. When she got to her room her own clothes were on the bed in a neat stack, having just been laundered. Shay decided to wear the sarong style dress she had picked up in her travels and the sandals she had worn to the beach the day she left home. She packed the rest of her belongings into her backpack and left to find the commissary.

Sam was waiting when she finally made it to the commissary. Shay had noticed the appreciative looks some of the men had given her and wondered if she had overdressed. "I hope this is okay," Shay said smoothing her dress. It was a deep red-brown color and had an intricate design of brightly colored flowers around the top and at the hem, all done with tiny hand carved seed beads. "I don't have a lot of clothes and it was this or khaki."

"It's beautiful, and very seasonal. Where did you get it?"

Shay screwed up her face, trying to remember the exact place. "On my forty-seventh planet, I think. I performed CPR on a local girl and the mother was very grateful."

Sam raised her eyebrows; an impressed look on her face.

"She got in water over her head playing in the river. It wasn't a big thing. I just got to her first. This was supposed to go to the daughter when she was old enough but her mother said 'If not for you my daughter would never again wear clothes.' What could I say?" 

Shay seemed embarrassed so Sam smiled and let it drop. "Are you ready to go?"

***

While the girls were out, Jack Daniel and Teal'c were examining the records Shay had copied. Daniel had volunteered and Teal'c was there to see if he recognized anything that Daniel didn't. Jack was just bored. All three crammed into Daniel's tiny office, which was already crowded with assorted books and artifacts. Daniel sat in front of the computer with Teal'c nearby. Jack, meanwhile, roamed around the room looking at (and touching) the various artifacts, making comments when Daniel read something aloud.

"This reads like a cross between a personal journal and a letter to someone you don't like. She keeps saying how glad she is to finally be taking this 'marvelous vacation' and 'I wish you could be here to enjoy this fabulous view.' Shay is definitely an excellent writer though. Listen to this 'The surroundings sometimes amaze me. There are promenades and paths that criss and cross through tall trees. Every tremendous tree seems to be spotted with tiny jade jewels that glisten and glimmer when the faintly filtered sunlight spots them.' I think she was trying to be funny." Daniel frowned a bit. The scientist in him was annoyed at the levity in a serious report but he was also impressed that she had managed to keep a sense of humor. "She actually sounds a little like you Jack"

"I don't do alliteration, I do sarcasm." Jack defended himself from the corner

"Try this one then. She seems to have been writing it from a very muddy place. 'I have a very great deal to report about this planet. It seems to be a little damp but otherwise it is a wonderful place. I am considering setting up camp here permanently. I would like to thank you for being so considerate and not making me wake up for something so small as being moved to a new planet. I so love to wake up in a strange place with insects and fragrant moss all over me. In the meantime I have explored thoroughly and am loathe to leave with so many fabulous things to look at. Who knew that mud came in so many different scents! I am having the time of my life! Wish YOU were here! J ' I paraphrased that but you get the idea."

"I would never write that in a report."

"You _would_ say it though, complete with the smiley face. You're just smart enough not to put it in writing."

Jack grinned "I'm smart?"

"I said you were 'just smart enough'." Daniel corrected him

Teal'c uncharacteristically interrupted them "There seems to be a discrepancy here Daniel Jackson."

Daniel instantly turned to the computer. "Where… Oh that's interesting."

"What's interesting?" Jack was looking over Daniel's shoulder trying to see what was causing the trouble.

"Well it seems that Shay numbered her entries after about the third or fourth one by titling them "The sixth planet… The nineteenth planet… and so on. She later added a subtitle when she learned the actual name of the planet."

"Kind of like we do?" Jack interrupted.

"Yes but that is not the unusual part. Here it skips from the tenth planet to the twelfth and again here it skips from the twenty-second to the twenty-fifth. Also, There are very few personal entries. There are some, but not very many." 

"Not everyone loves to talk like you do. _I_ wouldn't have written very much."

"You would have written 'Lots of trees' that's no comparison. But Shay does like to talk and she is very wordy when she writes."

"Might she not have kept a separate private journal that she did not feel like sharing?" Teal'c asked

"I suppose that is very possible but it doesn't explain the missing entries."

"She got bored with doing the numbers in order?" 

"Or she didn't want us to know what was in those reports."

***

Shay was even more miserable when she returned to the base. Sam was being just fabulous. She had known exactly what Shay would love to do. They had gone window shopping at the local mall and then they went to see a movie. They had had pizza and ice cream for dinner. All of these had been suggested by Sam. On the way back to the base, Shay asked how Sam had known just what she really wanted to do most.

"I just thought what I would miss if I had to be off planet for three years and suggested some of the things on that list. I can't imagine what you must have gone through." The sudden sympathy in Sam's voice startled Shay

"It wasn't all bad you know." Shay tried to lighten the mood. "I've been some really fabulous places. I got to visit a planet where the sky was always changing colors, like it was sunset all the time and I saw one where everyone lived in tree houses. I got to ride on the back of a bird and I even saw a real unicorn once."

"A real unicorn?" Sam was incredulous.

"It was all white and looked like a cross between a horse and a goat. It had a golden horn and hooves and didn't like men to touch it."

"I would have loved to see that."

"That was a really great planet. The women ruled as queens but they didn't mistreat the men or anything. The rulers were chosen because they were the nicest and most gentle. After being elected each ruler held a parade and rode at the head of it on the back of a unicorn." Shay sighed wistfully, lost in a memory for just a moment. "I saw a lot of supposedly mythical things when I was travelling."

Sam was smiling slightly now and Shay grinned at her success. She was already lying to her new friend and didn't want her to be tied up with pity as well.


	5. Chapter 5

Finally a new chapter. I'm sorry you all had to wait so long for it. In response to your wonderful reviews… Shay is sixteen and a little young for Daniel. I did that on purpose because my romance is worse than my witty sarcasm and I wanted to remove the temptation. Trust me, I thought about that long and hard. I will try to post more frequently but don't count on it.

Please keep in mind that this is a mystery and I will be dropping clues along the way. You are welcome to email me if you have a guess and just can't wait to find out if you are right or not. I will answer you to the best of my knowledge. (Even I don't have it all figured out yet!) You all have the big questions already. 'Who is the boss' and 'How does Shay know about SG1'

Also, if you think of anything you think Jack (or any of the characters) should have said or you thought they were going to say but didn't, please let me know. I would really like to get it right. Please feel free to email me if your thoughts run too long for the review page. My email is pokey1984@yahoo.com

P. S. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story. I love to hear from you even if you just think I'm long-winded and boring so please continue the feedback.

So, without further stalling or pointless drivel… 

Chapter 5

The next morning the team arrived early so they could compare notes before Shay was up and about. Jack was sitting in one corner of the conference room drinking coffee from a travel mug. Daniel was puzzling over a print out from Shay's records and Teal'c was waiting quietly at the table. Sam was the first to speak from her place at the front of the room. "So what did you learn?"

"Not much. At least, not much of any real value." Daniel said dropping his papers to the table in frustration. "I know Shay has visited at least one hundred and seven planets but I don't know anything specific about her 'boss'. There is probably more info in those missing files but…" Daniel trailed off helplessly.

"Can someone tell me why exactly we are bothering with this?" The colonel asked.

"We are trying to find out if this 'boss' of Shay's can help us fight off the Gua'ould." Daniel said tolerantly.

"Well why don't we just ask her?" Jack asked

"She doesn't know anything about her 'boss'."

"Then why are we doing this?" Jack asked again.

"We are hoping that Shay knows something she doesn't know she knows." Sam answered just as tolerantly as Daniel had.

"My question is, if she doesn't know she knows what ever we are looking for, why hide some of her files from us?" Daniel asked rhetorically.

"Perhaps Shay Morgan has more than one secret." Teal'c said.

An hour later Sam and Daniel were in the mess hall with Shay who was eating breakfast. "I looked over those files you gave me yesterday." Daniel said.

Shay looked up from her cereal and swallowed. "Yeah? What did you think?"

"I thought they were very interesting. I was wondering about the ones that you left out when you copied them."

"What about them?"

"Well, why did you leave them out?"

"I didn't want you to see them." Shay answered between mouthfuls. Daniel sputtered slightly at that answer.

"What was in them that you didn't want us to know? Generally speaking, of course," Sam tried asking the questions for a while since Daniel seemed to be at a loss.

"Stuff" Shay had finished her cereal and was working on a muffin.

"What was the 'stuff' about?" Sam tried again.

"Other planets." 

"Why would you want to hid information from us if it was just about 'other planets'?" Sam wasn't going to give up easily.

"Because it might be bad for you to know about those planets." Sam was slightly startled that Shay seemed to be giving up so easily. "If you knew about them you might know why I know about you and I don't know if that would hurt you all or not. I like you, I wouldn't want to take that chance." Shay had said more than she intended to but it felt good to finally tell the truth, even if it _was_ only part of the truth. She looked at her two friends, her eyes pleading with them to leave it be for now. Sam and Daniel caught the look and were too startled at it and her frank admissions to speak. The pause was short but it gave Shay a chance to turn the conversation the direction she wanted it to go.

"So what did you thing of my seventy-third planet?"

"The one where you met the 'mermaids'?"

"Yeah, that's the one. How did you like it?"

"Well I think I would have been bored silly there since you can't build much under the water. There really wouldn't be much use for an archeologist there. Plus I don't swim very well and since the planet seems to be mostly water…'

Sam Saw that they would be in this conversation for a while and that she wasn't likely to get anything more from Shay. Sam decided to go to her workshop. She had an idea she wanted to put on paper.

***

"So here's the plan," Sam had the entire team in an empty lab and was explaining her idea. "First, Shay will get out her laptop and ask her 'boss' for something. Then we watch and record how the object arrives. That should tell up something about the level of technology he is using. Once we know that we will have a better idea what we are dealing with and we may even be able to duplicate the technology or trace it back to the 'boss'." Sam had set up a variety of sensors and cameras all around the room. "Most of this equipment was developed for use with the Stargate. It should give us a lot of data to work with."

"So why are _we_ here?" Jack asked

"In case I need the back up if something goes wrong or if this 'boss' guy gets angry. Any other questions?"

"What should I ask for?" Shay was opening her computer.

"Something of a specific weight and mass that we can measure later. If it could be all one type of material that would help."

"How about a two pound block of iron?"

"That would be fabulous. Why iron?"

"Iron was the currency of choice on the planet I found you all on." Shay was already typing her request into her journal. "What now?" Shay asked closing the laptop.

__

Nearly and hour later…

"Carter, I think you forgot to take something into consideration when you started this little experiment." Jack said from the floor where he had been laying and staring at the ceiling for the last forty minutes.

"What would that be, sir" Sam looked up from had been tweaking her instruments.

"How boring this would be to the rest of us!" At this Sam finally registered the other occupants of the room. Jack was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. Daniel had leaned against a wall and apparently fallen asleep while Shay had her laptop out again and was attempting to teach Teal'c computer solitaire.

"I told you it sometimes took as much as an hour to get stuff" Shay looked up at Sam who gave them all a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, Sir."

Jack and Shay both got up at the same time.

"Just remember to bring a deck of cards or something next time… Whoa! Look out there!" While Jack was talking Shay had begun to walk across the room and just as she had passed in front of Jack a large block of metal appeared out of nowhere directly in front of her and about six feet up in the air. Unfortunately that space was also directly in front of the colonel. Shay jumped back just in time to avoid getting her toe smashed. Jack felt the air whoosh past his face as the block barely missed his nose

"Thank you _sooo much_!" Shay said to the empty air just above her head. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Sorry about that Jack, I usually make sure no one stands in front of me."

"Hey that's all right, I was getting bored anyway. Please tell me you got that, Carter."

"Yes Sir." Sam went to her monitor to see what the sensors had recorded. "Wow, that's interesting."

"What do you see?" Shay asked, going to Sam's side to see what the monitor showed. "Ah, yes, lots of numbers and some squiggly lines. Very good. What does it mean?"

"I'm not sure." Carter was scrolling the monitor screen and smiling faintly. "I've seen this type of data before though."

"Where?"

"It looks like a cross between the readings I took off the Stargate and something else… I'm not quite sure what though.

"Are you telling me that this 'boss' of Shay's is using a _Stargate_?" Jack asked.

"Well not a Stargate exactly. Obviously you can't make wormholes open using a Stargate without actually having a Stargate to open them in. But a wormhole is definitely being used. There is also something vaguely familiar about the rest of it too. I just can't place it."

"I'm sorry, I can't help you there," Shay told Sam. "I don't know about wormholes or anything. That's your job, you're the rocket scientist."

Sam had already become engrossed in the data. She was trying to compare it to anything else in her database. "Keep me informed when you find anything Carter." Jack told her "I'm going to get some lunch. Do you want me to bring you anything?" There was no response. "Carter?" Jack stepped closer and said very close to her ear. "Carter!"

"Sir!" Sam jumped and looked around.

"I'm going to get some lunch, do you want anything?"

"No thank you. I'll keep you informed, you go ahead."

Jack smiled and turned away. "Anyone else up for some lunch?"

Daniel stood and held out a hand to help Shay up. "I'm in, are you coming Shay?"

"Sounds great!"

Sam found them all leaving the mess hall over an hour later. She had a pencil behind her ear she was slightly out of breath. "I'm glad I caught you, I figured it out!"

"Figured out what Sam?" Daniel asked while Jack steadied her with one hand.

"Where I saw those readings before. They're the same ones I got off the Quantum Mirror!"

"The Quantum Mirror? The alternate universe thingumy?" Jack's expression was puzzled.

"That makes sense." Shay said thoughtfully, managing to surprise everyone.

"How do you know about the…" Jack started to ask and was cut off by Shay.

"It's part of that thing I can't tell you. But I do know about the Quantum Mirror and I know about Sam's double coming out of it and all of that."

"That's classified, you know that right?" Jack said raising one eyebrow slightly.

"Yes, I know that."

Jack shrugged. "Okay."

"Sir, we should probably tell General Hammond what we know." Carter said "He asked to be kept informed."

"Well let's go then."

Their meeting with the General was uneventful and SG1 left with instructions to keep researching and to report to him when they learned something. "You all need some R&R time anyway and since none of you seem capable of a vacation, a little desk work should be the next best thing. Oh and Major Carter…" General Hammond called as they turned to leave.

"Yes Sir?"

"You are under orders to leave your lab by 2100 hours every day until further notice, understood?"

"Yes Sir." Sam replied slightly disappointed. As they left, General Hammond allowed a satisfied smile to cross his face.

On their way out of the General's office the group started to make plans for the rest of their day. "If you're willing, I'd like you to help me with an experiment this afternoon Shay?" Carter asked hopefully.

"Okay."

Jack saw his opportunity to get Sam away from work and was careful not to let his excitement show on his face. "And this evening you all can come to my house for dinner. I have this grill I have been wanting to use for a while now..." Jack trailed off, looking at everyone expectantly.

Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other but Sam spoke first. "I don't know, I have a lot off work to do."

Jack didn't let his disappointment show but Daniel understood Jack perfectly and wasn't going to let him give up that easily. "Remember what General Hammond said? We're supposed to take it easy."

Shay, of course, knew what was going on and wasn't about to make Daniel do all the work. "I would really like to have a barbecue tonight too Sam, and they aren't much fun unless you have enough people there."

Sam was not easily persuaded but was finally convinced when Teal'c spoke up. "I too would enjoy a barbecue, Major Carter. I have never been to one before."

Sam finally caved. "All right I'll come. But only if I can bring the potato salad."


	6. Chapter 6

I'm sorry I'm taking so long to post. I got a terrible case of writer's block followed immediately by spring break and family visiting (there are currently five adults two kids and an infant living in my two bedroom house but I love it just the same) so I haven't had much 'puter time. This is a short one and it's not very polished but I wanted you to know I didn't quit. It will probably be several more days (maybe a week) before I post again, so don't hold your breath but don't lose all hope either. I'm sorry about the cliff hanger. That's the writers block kicking in. (I'm not sure how SG1 will be received by the 'boss') 

Thanks to all of you who are still putting up with my ramblings. You are all wonderful, fabulous, and fantastically patient people!!!

And Finally…

Chapter 6

Sam and Shay went to the lab to work on Sam's experiment. Shay's primary contribution was to ask her 'boss' for stuff while Sam watched. Meanwhile, Jack and Daniel decided to teach Teal'c the finer points of cooking for a barbecue. The guys stopped at the store on their way to Jack's house. They bought enough food to feed at least fifty people including chicken, steaks, burgers, brats, chips, dip, four different kinds of salad (but not potato) and a very large package of paper towels. They spent the rest of the afternoon setting up Jack's deck for a picnic and talking about everything but work.

__

Back at the SGC…

"The guys were really excited about this barbecue, weren't they Sam?" Shay was sitting backward in an office chair, twirling back and forth and watching Sam.

Sam was alternating between typing at her computer and fiddling with a device she was trying to build to send a signal through the wormhole the 'boss' used to keep it open longer. "I guess they were" Sam didn't even look up.

"I'm really looking forward to it too. I haven't been to a real barbecue in at least two years. When was the last time you went to one?"

"What… Oh about six months. My last barbecue was a family get together last fall." Sam finally paused and looked at Shay. "It was great. Everyone was there and we just talked and laughed. I was disappointed though."

"Why was that?"

"There wasn't any kind of desert. No one thought to bring any." Sam suddenly got an idea and smiled mischievously at Shay who just grinned.

Sam and Shay left in a hurry so they could shop and still have time to get ready for the picnic.

When the girls arrived at Jacks house Daniel was waiting out front to meat them.

"You're late! We were beginning to think you were a no show."

"It took longer to get our stuff together than we thought it would." Sam said in her defense. "Here, help me with these." Sam handed him two enormous cake boxes, which he obediently carried to the house. Shay, who was only carrying a largish bowl, hurried ahead to get the door.

They walked through the house and out the backdoor onto the deck. When Sam stepped out she almost dropped her stack of bowls. The deck had been decorated with strings of garden lanterns and oil lamps. Even though it wasn't quite dark yet, the lamps glowed brightly, illuminating not only the deck, but the yard nearby. The picnic table had been covered with a red checkered tablecloth. The grill was also going and Sam goggled at the amount of food Jack was cooking. "I guess I'm not the only one who overdid it." Sam said as Jack took her bowls from her. 

"What's in the boxes?" He asked.

"A cake and some pastries and Shay has the potato salad. These are pudding and a Watergate salad."

"Maybe we should have invited more people." Daniel said from the kitchen where he was gathering up the side dishes they had made.

"Either that or we should have made less food." Shay replied smiling. "Here let me get that." She took the tray he was trying to balance on one hand and placed it firmly on top of her head. She then picked up a bowl wit each hand and headed for the deck. 

Her fooling around earned her a few more stares from Jack and Sam who were tending the grill. "Just another silly skill I picked up, don't mind me." 

Once the food was ready, everyone sat down. It only took about six seconds for Jack and Daniel to start comparing their favorite barbecue sauces. Sam rolled her eyes and tried to turn the conversation to something else but she got sucked into the discussion (which was rapidly turning into an argument) when she tasted the chicken and complimented Jack. 

Shay finally got a pause in the conversation when she asked "So what do we have to drink?"

Jack looked at Daniel and Daniel looked at Teal'c who just looked puzzled. "Oops!" Was the unanimous look seen on the three faces.

"You did bring something to drink, right?" Sam asked suppressing a grin. The girls both looked at each other enjoying the expressions on their friends' faces. With out saying a word, Jack got up and walked into the house. They could hear the front door shut and then his truck starting. About fifteen minutes later he returned with three kinds of soda including the Diet pop that he knew Sam liked.

The rest of the evening went off without a hitch and everyone enjoyed the party. They packaged up the extra food and everyone took some home with the exception of Teal'c who declined on the account of not having a refrigerator. 

"You know, your welcome to stay with me while you're here." Sam told Shay who was commenting to Teal'c on the accommodations, or lack there of, available on base.

"That would be really nice." Shay replied, "But only if it's no trouble. I definitely don't want to intrude. Heaven knows I slept worse places than a military base."

"It's definitely not an intrusion. I relax better when you're around."

"Okay, lets swing by the base and I'll pick up my stuff."

Jack walked them to Sam's car. "I had a really great time." Sam told him. "We should do this more often, you know, getting together and talking and, well, stuff."

"Yeah, that would be nice."

"Well, I guess I should go"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, well, 'Bye Carter."

"Goodbye Sir." Sam got in the car and Jack watched until she turned the corner.

"What are you smiling at?" Sam asked Shay when she finally pulled out of the very pleasant thoughts she had been basking in since she got in the car.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing."

"I thought you knew everything about us?" Sam challenged her.

"I do, I just wondered what your answer would be." Sam didn't dignify that with a response and turned the radio on instead.

When they arrived at Sam's house Shay set up in the spare bedroom and slept more soundly than she had in months.

The day's that followed fell into a sort of random pattern. The barbecue seemed to have been the kick the team needed to start relaxing. Daniel was still examining artifacts and translating, but mostly stuff that had nothing to do with the Stargate. Sam, likewise, was spending her days in the lab but she tended to leave by mid-afternoon. Jack was alternating between watching ball games and going fishing and Teal'c had headed back to Chu'lac to visit family. Meanwhile General Hammond was looking very pleased with himself. Not only was everything running smoothly, but he had actually managed to get SG1 to take a vacation. He should have known it couldn't last for very long.

After a little more than a week, Sam made a huge breakthrough. She called the rest of SG1 and General Hammond in to her lab to explain what she needed. Shay was once again sitting backward in Sam's computer chair while the general sat at a table and Daniel and Jack leaned. Sam stood at a large marker board that was covered with equations.

"What do you have for us Major?" General Hammond asked.

Sam smiled and ran her hand through her hair. "Well Sir, I've been working on the technology that the 'boss' utilizes and I think I know how it works. You see the mechanics of the Quantum Mirror allow us to bend reality…"

"In English, Carter?" Jack interrupted, eliciting another smile from his second in command.

"Yes Sir. Basically, the portals, for lack of a better word, actually _are_ a cross between the effect created by the Quantum Mirror and the wormholes created by the Stargate. I can duplicate the portal but I haven't been able to design a way to make it appear in a particular place."

"Something must allow the 'boss',,, do we have to keep calling him that?" Daniel broke off on an unrelated thought.

"I can't think of anything better" Shay shrugged.

"Anyway, why can't use whatever the 'boss' uses to lock onto Shay?" Daniel finally finished.

"I have searched Shay and her belongings and I can't find anything in particular to 'lock-on to."

"So what do you propose, Major?"

"I can't created my own portal without an endpoint. I can, however, trace the signal when a portal appears here. If I trace the signal when Shay receives a shipment I should be able to connect to the portal on the other end and, theoretically, sen something or someone through."

"Like a MALP, or SG1?" Shay asked.

"Exactly. And once I've established one portal I should be connect anytime I like without having to trace the signal every time."

"Well what are we waiting for? I hate to admit it but I'm actually starting to get bored with all this vacation time. What do you say General?"

"I don't see and reason not to. We'll send the MALP through at 08:00 tomorrow morning. Rest up team, I'll see you in the morning."

At 07:30 SG1 and Shay met in a briefing room with General Hammond. The team was in full gear in anticipation of a successful MALP run. Shay was again wearing her khaki and boots and carrying her bag with her everywhere. The team was watching on the monitors as the MALP went through the portal. Sam had trained some of the staff to run her equipment in an attempt to take a more hands off approach when she wasn't needed. She was actually doing really well, only flinching occasionally. 

The portal was established at exactly 08:00 and the team waited anxiously for the telemetry to come back. What they saw was an empty lab. The air was breathable and there didn't seem to be any one there. They didn't have much maneuverability since the lab was full of equipment but they could see a lot and the General decided he knew enough to send SG1 through. Sam was practically drooling to get her hands on that equipment and Shay was nervous so Jack tried to lighten the mood by whistling. He failed to lighten the mood but he did get the group moving. The group stepped up to the shimmering white space and, taking a deep breath, stepped through.


End file.
